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Does Music Enhance Training?
BY JOHN HARRIS FITNESS
Do you feel that you perform better during workouts with music? Your intuition is right on the money. The performance boost from musical influence has been confirmed by numerous studies. In fact, you can enhance your training results by up to 15 percent with the power of music – an impressive improvement. You've probably noticed that elite athletes often listen to music before competitions. However, this positive effect isn't limited to professionals; it holds true for beginners as well.
Music Before Training
Calm music helps athletes reduce stress and focus on the essentials before competitions. Excessive nervousness and distraction aren't conducive to peak performance. Motivating and dynamic music increases your excitement for movement even before you begin. Your favorite music triggers positive emotions and memories, prepares you optimally for your training session, and boosts both your physical and mental attention, subsequently enhancing your motivation.
Faster, Longer, Better – Music Enhances Your Training Results
Although music doesn't directly influence lactate formation, heart rate, or oxygen intake, measurable improvements are apparent. Is the effect purely psychological? The psychological impact should not be underestimated, yet there are also physical effects. The autonomic nervous system reacts measurably to musical stimuli. Our psyche affects our body. Through music, we tend to forget the strain of training, enabling us to achieve more repetitions or run longer distances. Music helps us tame our inner resistance.
The Impact of Music on Your Body
- Improved skin respiration
- Enhanced attention
- Stimulation of the motor movement center
- Increase in body temperature
- Improved posture
- Positive influence on muscle tone
Selecting the Right Music for You
Numerous training playlists are available. Naturally, it's important that you enjoy the music. Tempo is another factor, which should match the nature of your sport. Training in rhythm with the music makes it significantly easier. Intense strength training benefits from music with a tempo of 120 BPM. Slower music is more suitable for stretching and cool-down. Ensure the music aligns with your activity and create your playlist with a mix of faster and slower tracks.
Not Always Training with Music
It's advisable to occasionally work out without music to prevent the positive effect from diminishing. This can happen if you become overly accustomed to it. Incorporating one session without music after every two music-enhanced training sessions is a good strategy. This way, you make the most of the music's impact.